Kabul: At least 42 civilians have been killed and more than 100 injured as fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan entered its sixth day, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
The UN mission said the casualties were recorded between February 26 and March 2. Many of the victims were caught in cross border shelling and air strikes as tensions sharply escalated along the frontier.
The latest violence marks one of the most serious confrontations in recent years between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Residents in border areas have described heavy artillery fire and air operations, forcing many families to flee their homes in search of safety.
Afghan authorities claimed their forces had taken control of a Pakistani military post in the southern region near Kandahar. Pakistan, however, said it carried out targeted air strikes against Taliban positions in eastern Afghanistan, including in Nangarhar province. Islamabad insists the operations were aimed at militant groups it says are responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari defended the strikes, urging the Taliban led government in Kabul to take firm action against militants. He specifically referred to the threat posed by Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan, which Pakistan accuses of operating from Afghan territory.
The United Nations has called for an immediate halt to hostilities and reminded both sides of their duty to protect civilians under international law. Aid agencies have also warned that the fighting is disrupting humanitarian assistance in areas already struggling with poverty and previous crises.
With no clear signs of de escalation, many fear that continued clashes could deepen instability in the region and worsen the suffering of ordinary people living along the border.